URBAN DESIGN - VIII

- NATURE / ENVIRONMENT AND URBAN DESIGN

- IMPORTANCE OF DESIGNING IN URBAN CONTEXT

PRESENTED BY
NATISHA - 16001006039
TANVI - 16001006068
VIDHISHA - 16001006069
 INTRODUCTION
❑ A successful city cannot operate efficiently in isolation from its environment. It must balance
social, economic and environmental needs.
❑ Poor urban designing and management can have grave results for the urban economy, the
environment and society.
❑ A well-managed urban environment is a key to economic development and poverty.
❑ As our built environment expands, it is imperative that land development activities not
compromise the long term quality of our environment.

• Nature is very important for humans to survive and thrive, was provided by the natural world around
us.
• Due to the development of suburb areas into new urban cities ,cities are comparatively nature-poor .
• And with inhabitants living busy lives, there are fears that people are increasingly disconnected
through an extinction of experience from the natural world in both quality and quantity.
Open spaces
❑ In land use planning, urban open
space is open space areas for "parks,"
"greenspaces," and other open areas.
❑ The terms "urban open space" can describe
many types of open areas.
❑ Urban open space is a natural and cultural
resource, synonymous with neither 'unused
land' nor 'park and recreation areas."
Open space is any open piece of land that is undeveloped (has
no buildings or other built structures) and is accessible to the
public.

Open space can include:

▪ Green space (land that is partly or completely covered with
grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation). Green space
includes parks, community gardens.
▪ Schoolyards
▪ Playgrounds
▪ Public seating areas
 BENIFITS OF OPEN SPACE
✓ Preserve natural beauty.
✓ Improve ugliness.
✓ Buffer unpleasent view and disturbing space.
✓ Buffer between conflicting land use.
Two common types of land-use conflicts in urban areas are
Residential industrial or residential-transport land-use
conflicts.
• These can cause noise, air and water pollution.
• Apart from the noise and gases released by factories, pollution
is also caused by the vehicles which carry materials to and
from factories, which can cause incessant noises and smoke.
• Heavy road traffic also causes traffic congestion, affecting RESIDENTS OPEN SPACE ROAD TRAFFIC
many nearby residents.
• In addition to factories, the presence of main roads also
affects residents, causing the same problems as above.
• Visual relief from manmade cityscape.
Urban spaces

URBAN SPACE is actual physical enclosure or its strong

articulation by urban forms. e.g. In a plaza, we must be
sufficiently enclosed on all sides so that our attention focuses
on the space as an entity.

• ‘Urban Space’ –Public Spaces within cities, created through

arrangement of buildings and other built elements.
• Related to concept of ‘Public Realm --Public Spaces,
available for free use.
• Focus of ‘Urban Activity’. All types of spaces between
buildings in the town which include paths squares- gardens –
parks.
 Importance of Urban spaces

Functional importance

They provide space needed for recreation. They give form and shape to the city.
 Importance of Urban spaces

Social importance

They Create chances for interaction between They Preserve natural beauty.
people.
 Importance of Urban spaces

Economic importance

They provide places for economic activities.

Urban places
“Urban place" means any place to which the public or a substantial
group of the public has access and includes, but is not limited to,
streets, highways, and the common areas of schools, hospitals,
apartment houses, office buildings, transport facilities, and shops.

• A space with activity is know as place.

• Urban Place is a 200,000+ square foot community made for
living, learning, shopping, working and dining.
• Urban design involves the arrangement and design of buildings,
public spaces, transport systems, services, and amenities.

Urban design is about making

connections between people
and places, movement
and urban form, nature and
the built fabric.
Typical functions of urban city include:

• Administrative centres – headquarters for government

offices
• Industrial

Government communication headquarter Nelson heat tracing cable

• Transport – ports, railway junctions, airline hubs
• Retail
• Markets – places where agricultural products made in
the surrounding area can be sold
• Residential
• Financial – headquarters of major
banks, insurance companies etc.
TYPES OF URBAN PLACE
EXTERNAL PLACE & INTERNAL PLACE

EXTERNAL PUBLIC PLACE as pieces of land INTERNAL 'PUBLIC’ PLACE or public

that lie between private landholdings such institutions such as libraries, museums,
as public squares, streets, parks, stretches town halls, hospitals and post offices.
of coastline, rivers. Open spaces lie between
the private landholdings.
 OPEN SPACE

URBAN PLACE (EXTERNAL)

URBAN SPACE URBAN PLACE (INTERNAL)

DELHI HAAT
Different pictures
depicting urban
open spaces.
They act as
interacting spaces
for the users.
CANNAUGHT PLACE
This is the most famous place of New Delhi which acts as
open public area. The corridors as well acts as interactive
spaces. It has arrangement and design of buildings,
transport system, services and aminities.
FLOATING MARKET, DAL LAKE
GANDHI NAGAR, GUJARAT
SWITZERLAND VILLAGE
Every year, the small Switzerland ski town
village of Vercorin asks artists to come and
create works during summer months.
LUJIAZUI PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
This large scale circular pedestrian overpass in
Pudona district of Shanghai, enables pedestrian
to avoid traffic at round about terminus of
Lujiazui road. It is about 20 feet above the
street with excalator.
URBAN DESIGN IN URBAN CONTEXT
URBAN DESIGN
The first thing to get straight is that urban design and
urban planning are two different things. Urban planning
deals with the overall layout of a city. This includes the
road network, street network, differentiation between
residential and commercial areas etc. Urban design, on
the other hand, deals more with the ways the public
environment can be improved physically. It has more to do
with how different elements of a city, like the buildings,
roads, streets, landmarks, all combine to form the
IMPORTANCE OF URBAN DESIGN
essence of a place.
The design of a city is important because it
gives it a sense of place. Little elements, like a
small corner where two streets meet with a
couple of small benches, make different places
not only memorable but also turn them into
focal points for people. Landmarks and nodes
are crucial in making a city easy to navigate for
people who are new.
URBAN DESIGN IN URBAN CONTEXT
WHAT IS CONTEXT?
Context is simply an external element that
influences the building and site both. Contextual
factors include the nature of the surroundings
that is natural and built elements. Basically the
context determines the architectural style,
building material selection and site layout, which
is very important in creating an effective design.

Buildings itself do not exist in isolation. They are

conceived to house, support, and inspire a range
of human activities in response to socio cultural,
economical, and political needs, and are erected in
natural and built environments that constrain as
well as offer opportunities for development.
The elements of context are physical and non-physical. Buildings, Roads and land contour are the examples
of physical elements while the non-physical elements are local culture, weather condition, as well as
political and Economical constraints.
Existing patterns and characteristics of the Facade fabric can provide clues or starting points for
approaching site development as well as the building design, influencing its configuration and use of
materials, textures and colours.
One of the best example of context with respect to material and patterns is the Pink city in Jaipur, India.
Jaipur has been popularised with name pink city because of its colour of stone which is used for
construcion of all structures.

At last, There are many historic cities that have modelled a

lot of the urban design around their historic buildings to
give the whole place a cohesive and unique look. Some of
the world’s best-designed cities see lesser cars on the
roads because of excellent transit systems, lesser carbon
emissions, and generally happier people. Urban design,
therefore, is more than just deciding what goes where in
the master plan of a city; it actually affects how a city
performs and how its residents live their lives over the
decades and centuries to come.
KevinLynchfiveelementsof cityplanning:
PATHS
• Definition: The streets, sidewalks, trails, and other channels in
which people travel.

• Importance:
• They organise the mobility.
• pattern of street network is what
defines a city and makes it
unique.

• Characteristics of Paths
• They are defined by their physical dimension, size ,shape
and character of the buildings that line them.
• They range from grand avenues to intimate small paths.
 NODES
• Definition: A common point where two or more roads meet to form
a junction or square.
• The strategic focus points for orientations of squares and
junctions.
• spots in a city into which an observer can enter, and which are
the intensive foci from which the person is travelling.
• Importance:
• to increase the perception of an active, urban corridor and to
encourage more walking.
• Strengthen the emphasis on alternative mode use in the corridor.
• Contribute to the overall vibrancy, safety, and desirability of the area.
Characteristics of nodes:
• These nodes should occur where single uses or a combination of
uses lead to higher levels of pedestrian activity,
• Pedestrian nodes should include such furnishings as drinking
fountains, trash cans, and benches to increase the users’ senseof
comfort. Seating should be arranged to accommodate groups of
people
• Careful thought should be given to the amount of seating
provided because too much unused seating may detract from the
goal of creating an active area
 EDGES
•Definition: They are boundaries between two phases, Bodies of
water (such as an ocean, river, or lake) Landforms (such as
mountains and hills)
Manmade structures (such as buildings, railroad tracks, walls, or highways)
•Importance:Functionality and usage of the spaces are clearly defined
by edges..
•Characteristics of edges:
• Acts in a space by stopping it, more or less penetrable, or they may
be seams, lines along which two regions are related and joined
together.
• Street edges need to be oriented and/or adjusted for maximum light
on the space between buildings, and not just for interior penetration,
in order to encourage active street life
Edges that are seen from building to street
DISTRICTS
• Definition: Areas characterized by common characteristics, these are the
medium to large areas, which have some common identifying character.
• Characteristics:
• Distinctive physical characteristics might include
‘thematic continuities’, such as texture, space,form, detail, symbol ,function
and building.
• The presence of these and other similar attributes
reinforce a district’s fabric, cohesiveness, andidentity
• Good planning makes for liveable neighbourhoods, a safe and healthy
community, and a sustainable economy
 LANDMARKS

• Definition: external points of orientation,easily identified objects–

towers, spires, hills are distant and are typically seen from many angles
and from distance, over the top of smaller elements.
• Other landmarks – sculptures, signs and trees are primarily local being
visible only in restricted localities and from certain approaches.
• Importance: Functionally prominent structures have a major influence
on the aesthetics of their immediate urban landscape; location ,function
of open spaces and landscape furniture.
• Physical Characteristics: some aspect that is unique or memorable in
the context.
ELEMENTS OF URBANDESIGN
Urban Design involves the design and coordination of all
that makes up cities and towns:

• BUILDINGS

• PUBLIC SPACES

• STREETS

• TRANSPORT

• LANDSCAPE
BUILDING
IDENTIFICATION:
• Buildings are the most pronounced elements of urban design.
• They shape and articulate space by forming the street walls of the city.
• Well-designed buildings and groups of buildings work together to create a sense of
place.
CHARACTERISTICS:
• Variation in building height, volume and the
way in which buildings are grouped
together
• Contour
• Facade Design-main doors
/openings, other fenestration, material, etc.
 ROLE:

• Height & Contour define sense of enclosure and visibility

• Openings lead to spatial structuring
• Facade Designs animate & personalize urban space
• Building forms are guided by specific uses of buildings.
• As they have an impact on the streetscape, it is important that their forms respond to their
surroundings.
EXAMPLE:
Developments along Orchard Road, however, have
shopping podiums with high-rise towers set further
away from the road. This gives a sense of openness to
the tree-lined pedestrian mall, that has become a
signature feature of Orchard Road.
PUBLIC SPACES
IDENTIFICATION:
• Great public spaces are the living room of the city - the place where people
come together to enjoy the city and each other.
• Public spaces make high quality life in the city possible -
they form the stage and backdrop to the drama of life.
• Public spaces range from grand central plazas and squares, to small, local
neighborhood parks.
CHARACTERISTICS:
• Promotes human contact and social activities.
• Is safe, welcoming, and accommodating for all users.
• Has design and architectural features that are visually
interesting.
• Promotes community involvement.
• Reflects the local culture or history.
• Relates well to bordering uses.
• Is well maintained.
• Has a unique or special character.
 ROLE:

• Open spaces can be grand central plazas and squares, or

small, lush pocket parks. They can also be soothing
sanctuaries amid the urban hurly-burly or packed with
people.
• These spaces let you soak in the sun, enjoy the lush
greenery and interact with fellow city dwellers at these
open spaces.
• These open spaces also act as landmarks and unique setting
for events and celebrations.
EXAMPLE:
Parks like Gardens by the Bay and the plaza in front
of Cathay Building and School of the Arts (SOTA)
provide respite in our high-rise city environment.
STREETS
IDENTIFICATION:
• These are the connections between spaces and places, as well as being spaces
themselves.
• Other pedestrian networks include pedestrian malls, promenades, covered walkways
and link-ways, through-block links and overhead linkages.
CHARACTERISTICS:
• They are defined by their physical dimension
and character as well as the size, scale, and
character of the buildings that line them.
• The pattern of the street network is part of
what defines a city and what makes each
city unique.
ROLE:
• Well-connected pedestrian networks to allow
people to move easily and comfortably within
the city, and facilitate the use of public
transportation.
• It connects open spaces, points of
interest and parks, and can be at
different levels, allowing you to
appreciate the city from different
perspectives.
EXAMPLE:
Walking to the Esplanade from City Hall MRT takes only about 15 minutes
via the City Link underground pedestrian network. The link-way is also
lined with shopping and dining options.
TRANSPORT
IDENTIFICATION:
• Transport systems connect the parts of cities and help shape them, and enable movement
throughout the city.
• They include road, rail, bicycle, and pedestrian networks, and together form the total
movement system of a city.
• The best cities are the ones that elevate the experience of the
pedestrian while minimizing the dominance of the private
automobile.
CHARACTERISTICS:
The balance of these various transport
systems is what helps define the quality
and character of cities, and makes them
either friendly or hostile to pedestrians.
 ROLE:
• The location of car parks and drop-off points affect the way vehicles navigate their way around
the city.
• It also influences how pedestrians experience the city.
• It is important to separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic to avoid causing danger and conflict
to pedestrians.
EXAMPLE:
The drop-off point at Mandarin Gallery used to be located in front of the buildings along the main
Orchard Road pedestrian mall. This mix of vehicular and pedestrian traffic was not ideal, and caused
disruptions to pedestrians. After Mandarin Gallery was refurbished , the drop-off point was relocated to
the side, along Orchard Link. This opened up the front of the development for activity generating uses
and also provides pedestrians with a safer and more pleasant environment.
 LANDSCAPE
IDENTIFICATION:
• It is the green part of the city that weaves throughout, in the form of
urban parks, street trees, plants, flowers, and water in many forms.
• Green spaces in cities range from grand parks to small intimate
pocket parks.
• The landscape helps define the character and beauty of a city and creates
soft, contrasting spaces and elements.
CHARACTERISTICS:
• Levels, Flat or Sloping
• Pattern
• Surface texture
 ROLE:
• Level moulds scale, give directionality, focus, emphasis.
• Texture suggests (supports / prohibits) nature of
activity – pedestrian, vehicular / slow, fast
• Pattern moulds movement paths, gives direction
• Landscape plays an important role in our urban design, and
developments are encouraged to provide greenery (on the ground or
skyrise) in the city.
• Other than its environmental benefits— helping to clean the
air and mitigating the urban heat island effect—greenery can
help shape the streetscape, reinforce the character of a place,
and make the public spaces more comfortable by providing
shade
EXAMPLE:
The sky terraces at Parkroyal Hotel at Pickering Street allow hotel
guests to enjoy greenery at new ‘heights’.
THANK YOU